goby

1 of 2

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes (family Gobiidae) that usually have the pelvic fins united to form a ventral sucking disk

Illustration of goby

go by

2 of 2

verb

went by; gone by; going by; goes by

intransitive verb

: pass sense 3b

as time goes by

Examples of goby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Another endangered fish, northern tidewater gobies, were rescued from the same watershed shortly before the steelhead were liberated. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025

And this piece by Times staff writer Lila Seidman about a group of biologists saving hundreds of tidewater goby reminded me how cute fish can be. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025

Verb

There’s never a week that goes by in Charlotte without comings and goings in the food and beverage scene — and April was no exception. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2025

The team, which will go by PWHL Seattle until an official name is unveiled, will play at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, and train at the Kraken Community Iceplex. —Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin gobius gudgeon, from Greek kōbios

First Known Use

Noun

1769, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1508, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

goby

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes that often have the pelvic fins united to form a sucking disk